MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – Around 30 passengers, primarily from Jowhar, found themselves stranded at Aden Adde Airport this morning after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud chartered the plane they were scheduled to board, which was parked at the airport.
Passengers on the plane informed KAAB TV that their journey was abruptly halted when they were informed by the plane’s operators that it had been rented by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The aircraft in question belonged to Jubba Airways.
According to the passengers’ tickets, the scheduled departure time for the Mogadishu-Jowhar flight was 8:00 am this Tuesday morning, with the flight number designated as 3j849. Passengers were advised to arrive at the airport at 5:00 am.
However, the situation swiftly changed when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived at the airport and chartered the plane for his own use, flying to the city of Jowhar.
Officials from Jubba Airways declined to comment on the specific amount of money President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud paid to rent the plane for his two-way trip to Jowhar. However, airline staff estimated the cost to be as high as $7,000 (seven thousand dollars). Additionally, there is a standard waiting fee imposed by the airline, charging $600 (six hundred dollars) per hour.
One of the passengers left stranded at the airport this morning said those stuck at the airport include elderly people and individuals with serious work schedule but left without any other option but to re-schedule their travel.
The ongoing security concerns and persistent danger on the road between Mogadishu and Jowhar due to deadly attacks carried out by the Al-Shabaab militants have prompted the public to opt for air travel, considered the safest mode of transportation in most of the southern and central regions of Somalia.
Considering the dangers associated with traveling on the road between the two cities, President himself opted to chart a flight to Jowhar, which is on 90 kilometres away from Mogadishu.
The Villa Somalia has never provided details about the costs incurred when government officials charter planes, despite previous scandals arising over the exorbitant amounts involved. Reports have emerged in April this year involving of plane rentals between 2021 and 2022 with significantly inflated prices raising the concerns of the foreign donors and even forced Finland’s Foreign Ministry to demand refund.
As the stranded passengers await alternative arrangements to reach their intended destination, this incident highlights the need for transparent communication and fair consideration of the public’s needs, particularly when it comes to the utilization of resources by government officials.